Edmunds's review of 2011 car sales also found that Nissan Motor Co.'s (NSANY, 7201.TO) Leaf electric vehicle flew off dealer lots faster than any other automobile this year, while Swedish Automobile NV's (SWAN.AE) Saab offered the best discounts in 2011 as the brand fought to delay its inevitable demise. Saab filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday, nine months after halting production due to a lack of funds.

"History will remember 2011 as a resilient year for the auto industry," said Edmunds Chief Economist Lacey Plache. "Even as sales slumped dramatically through the summer, the industry battled back to finish strong and with momentum going into 2012."

On Monday, Edmunds predicted 13.6 million new cars and trucks will be sold in 2012, a 6.3% rise from its forecast of 12.8 million vehicles for 2011.

Intraday Data provided by SIX Financial Information and subject to terms of use. Historical and current end-of-day data provided by SIX Financial Information. All quotes are in local exchange time. Real-time last sale data for U.S. stock quotes reflect trades reported through Nasdaq only. Intraday data delayed at least 15 minutes or per exchange requirements.